Bunion-protector.



A. E, BLOCK.

BUNION PROTECTOR. APPLICATION HL-ED'NOV.25, 1914.

Patented Aug INVENTOR.

ATT'Y- ALEXA1\TDER E.-IBLOCK, 0F sr. tours-Mrssotiiard numolv-rnorncron.

Application filedNovember 25, 1914. Serial no. 873,912

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,ALEXANDER E. BL CK,

a citizen of the United States, and'a resident of St. Louis, State of Missourl, have invent ed certain new and useful Improvements in Bunion-Protectors, of whlch the followlng 1s a specification.

My invention relates to improvements inv bunion protectors and has for its object to provide aperforated pad of adjustable thickness, the adjustment of its thickness being such as to relieve the bunion and the adjacent surface of the foot from pressure, and to accommodate such distortion as may be present in the large toe.

In the drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of the inner surface of a device embodying my invention, showing portions broken away.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the device without the removable inserts which are shown in Fig. 1, and with the inner protective lining removed.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the inserts.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal view of the device in midsection, showing its application to the foot of the wearer.

As illustrated,'I employ the outer shield 5 having the central perforation 6. Upon the inner face of the shield 5 is superimposed the pair of flaps 7-7, arranged before and behind the perforation 6 as shown in Fig. 2. Superimposed upon the flaps 7-7 are smaller flaps 8-8 as shown in Fig. 2, the points of attachment of the flaps 8-8 to the flaps 7-7 being indicated by the lines of stitching 9-9, which are further removed from the front and rear of the perforation 6 than are the lines of stitching 10-10 by which the flaps 7-7 are secured to the outer shield 5.

The inner protective lining 11 is of the form shown in Fig. 1, having a perforation of the same size as, and registering with, the perforation 6 in the shield 5, the lining 11 having one of its sides cut tangentially from the perforation to its outer. edge to form the overlapping flaps 12-12 by means of which said lining 11 is dished or contoured to approximately fit the foot at the point of application for the treatment of the bunion. 7

Into the various spaces formed by the outer shield '5, flaps 7 and 8 and inner lining 11 inserts 13, approXima-telyof crescent shape, as illustrated inv Fig.3, are'placed,

; and held by the pressure existingloetween BEIGE Specification of Letters Patent. I I

the-foot and the shoe. 'The lines of stitching al d 10 serveIto 'hold inserts1'3 con tacting with them, at a fixed distance from,

the perforation 6', in the mannershownlin sectionin Fig. 4..

The formation of the bunion is usually accompanied by a distortion of the great toe, and, the protector being seated in place with the perforation 6 accommodating the apex of'the bunion, asshownin Fig. 4:, just so many of the inserts 13 will be used in the front portion of the protector as willpermit the great toe to lie in a comfortable position with reference tothe side of the shoe. r

' The location of the'insert 13, toward or away from the perforation 6, will be made solely with reference to the swelling or inflammation existing in the bunion and the contiguous flesh. Under conditions of excessive inflammation the protector maybe used without any of' the inserts 13 being added, or seated in place; because the structure and location of the flaps 7 v and 8 is such as to contour the protector into a dish shape,

of the least thickness at its: center and 3 around the edge of the perforation 6, and of the greatest thickness front and back of the lines of stitching 9-9. Uponthe subsidence any thickness or outline best adapted to the condition of the foot and form of the shoe. Cotton batting may be employed, and such material may be thrust into position without being previously cut or stamped into any particular shape. Sothat the form ofthe insert illustrated in Fig. 3 is immaterial,

and by the term insert as used inthe claim I mean to indicate any suitable filler to be usedin the spaces between the shield 5 and flaps 7-7, or the spacesbetween the flaps '7 and- 8, or the spaces between the flaps 8-8 and liningv 11 or into the space between of the inflammation and swelling, one or the shield 5 and lining 11 when the flaps v7 and 8 are omitted from my structure.

The insert-13, as will be seen from the foregoing description, may be withdrawn or replacedas desired whenever the conformation of the thickness.

protector is to be varied as to Having thus described my invention, what distance from the perforation in the outer I claim as new and desire to have secured to shield. me by the grant of Letters Patent, is In testimony whereof, I have signed my In a lounion protector, in combination a name to this specification, in presence of two 5' centrally perforated outer 1slliield; a persubscribing witnesses.

forated inner linin and a a secured to r the inner'facelof th shield and between the ALEXANDER shield and the lining; and a filler adapted WVitnesses: to be removably seated and held in place J. L. HoPKINs, 10 between said flap and said shield, at a fixed N. E. BROOKMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i 

